Bratfest at Riley's
by marla g
Summary: set in bratfest @ tiffany's, a new cool girl sets foot in BOCD & Massie gets threatened, since da girl is unbreakable and knows all of her comebacks. But she doesnt know that Riley is from da future 2 help her with the boys dilemma- & da girls problems.
1. What's up with everybody!

BOCD  
Table #18  
Tuesday, September 8th  
8:21 A.M.

The New Pretty Committee was hurt and shocked. Shocked that absolutely anyone was _not_ gushing over their shimmering outfits, or punching their buddies because of their hotness, or envy-staring at them. Had they amnesia? Had they forgotten who the new and true alphas were? Had they forgotten about last year? What was _wrong_ with BOCD? Or was something wrong with them???  
The NPC shuddered at the thought. They did not want to think about that. Because there couldn't be anything wrong with their tans, right? Or maybe it was their wind-swept hair. Or maybe their eyes were bloodshot from staying tossing and turning all last night, stressing about the first day of eight grade.  
It couldn't be them. It was just _impossible_, at least according to the Alpha side of Massie. But the LBR side of her (and she would never admit it, but yes, she had an LBR side like everybody else,) was screaming on the inside and crying out loud, wishing for it all to go away. Had her magic faded?

Now, they were speed-texting a mile a minute, their thumbs working overtime, wondering what the hell was going on.

_Dylan: Who's that?_

Massie Block looked over to where Dylan was looking and gasped. Sitting on Cam's lap was a girl with long, blonde hair and clear blue eyes and a perfect nose with a striking resemblance to Ashlee Simpson. After the shock wore off, she reassumed her bored position._ Wannabe_, she though in her mind as she texted her discovery.

_Alicia: close. Olivia Ryan w/ an A.S. Nose job + x-tensions.  
Kristen: 2__nd__ nose job?  
Alicia: 3__rd__.  
Dylan: OMG! Josh Hotz sitting btwn Strawberry & Kori!_

Massie refused to look over at the losers beyond repair, seeing to it being disturbing as they sucked up to Josh and tried to get his attention, but he seemed to check his phone a lot instead of paying attention to them.

_Alicia:? Is JH doing with those LBRs?  
Dylan: Y r they allowed at the soccer table?  
Massie: Y do u care?_

She lifted her charm bracelet, hoping to remind them about the pact they made an hour ago. But the texts kept flying.

_Kristen: S&K became BFF with O at sum school. O's older bro Andy has a sk8 ramp. The boys rode it all summer and K, S, and O would watch. So ah-nnoying. Stalker much?  
Alicia: Y didn't u tell us?  
Kristen: NPC rules. Aren't we over them?_  
Massie sighed in frustration and punched in "Yes! We! R!" on her phone then fired it off.

_Dylan: OMG! Is Derrington wearing jeans?_

Massie's head snapped up and she shot out of her eco-seat, but quickly noticed and sat. She had spent most of her Derrington days wishing he'd get over his shorts obsession and get some cute jeans, like Diesel, or some other designer brand. And now that he had dumped her, He had. She couldn't believe him. It was so unfair. She felt hurt, and angered, and used.  
Instead of paying attention to her screaming broken heart gush about how cute he looked, she shrugged it off with an eye-roll and one final text.

_Massie: Whatevs! Boyfast or bust!_

Done, Done, and done. The textathon was officially over.

Massie lifted her eyes off her phone to "pay attention" to Principal Burns about some reverse vending machines (stupidest idea ever), when she saw her.

She didn't have much time from when she noticed _her_. She only had eight seconds until she got to their table, which it was obvious she was heading that way, since she was just strolling by, her eyes on table eighteen. Everyone in BOCD was staring at her, either because of what a knockout she was, or because they knew she was going to get a huge case of crash and burn coming from Massie, and that public humiliation was a no-brainer. Even thought the NPC wasn't that much popular anymore, everyone still knew what Massie Block could do.

In the first second, she noticed her hair. It was a beautiful shade of chestnut-red hair with natural golden highlights that reflected of the sun from the windows of the new green café and fell in soft waves down her back, and side bangs that fell just above the tip of her thick, black maybe-she's-born-with-them lashes, exposing bright, glowing violet eyes. Massie didn't even know that was _possible_. Maybe they were contacts? She wondered/assured herself, but even the LBRs could tell that they were 100% real. In second #2, Massie saw her perfect skin. It was not tanned; it was not freakishly pale, but nice, with barely-noticeable freckles on her cheekbones. In seconds number 3, 4, 5 and 6 she noticed her clothes. She had on black skinny jeans from an unknown brand that even Massie couldn't recognize, but they were cute. A white cami with a shrunken beat up black motorcycle jacket was giving the outfit an edge to the otherwise boring ensemble, and turquoise Airwalks replaced the high heels. But the striking thing that made the outfit rock and catch eyes was the turquoise tutu positioned on top of her jeans. It was cool, edgy, _completely crazy_, and HOT.

Seconds 7, 8, and 9 were wasting in noticing that this girl did not wear any makeup. What girl didn't wear makeup in BOCD? It was crazy, but her natural beauty was just_ so_ that she didn't _need_ makeup to top it all off. It was ok. Massie noticed her eyes sparkle as she got closer to table eighteen and then she noticed. This girl was a total threat. Not only for her, but for their already-threatened Alpha status. And she was walking towards _their_ table.

The last second was used in the shock that came that the girl didn't hover over their table looking nervous and asked if she could sit with them. No. She round up came, pull over a chair, and sat between Claire and Massie, with no grace and no clue that she had just done what every girl at BOCD had wished and feared to do since last year.

"Um, _ex-ka-use-me????"_ Massie asked? Her amber eyes turning mean. That kind of glare would have made even the Pretty Committee tremble, and Claire sure did, but the girl didn't react. She just placed her red bag (another name-less brand) on the table and then, pushing it aside, she leaned on the table and folded her arms, her piercing violet eyes looking directly at Massie. "_Ex-ka-use-you_ what?" she mocked Massie while looking around the table at every member of the Pretty Committee, whose mouth was hanging open at the girl's courage. The thought buzzing in the New Pretty Committee's mind was "who does she think she is???????"  
And this Alpha was not gonna take it.

Massie inhaled in and out rapidly, and then prepared for a comeback that would make the girl cry. She was going to be sorry. Sorry that she ever had the courage to just barge in their table like that.

"_Ex-ka-use-me_, what do you think you are doing at OUR table?" Massie asked, one eyebrow up, her signature mean face. But yet again, the girl didn't care.

"Si-tting." She stated as she took out a magazine and flipped through it.

The NPC looked over at Massie, awaiting the surely-on-its-way comeback.

"I'm sorry, no _wannabes_ allowed in this table, so, _out_." Massie dissed her, exchanging a round of celebratory high-fives by the PC.

"Why do you say I'm a wannabe?" the mysterious girl asked, taking out a little cup filled with condensed milk and then chugging it down. Massie's jaw locked just from thinking about the sugar rush, and then caught with the corner of her eyes Claire, who was smiling. She glared at her, and then she stopped.

At the sight of a girl who understood her, Dylan burped, "CCCCOOONNDEEENSSEED MIIILLLKKK", and Claire, Dylan, Kristen, and the girl cracked up. Massie and Alicia stayed silent, glaring at the others.

"Nnniiiiceeee" The girl congratulated Dylan, and they high-fived each other. Massie had actual steam coming out of her ears, and her nostrils flared. Dylan caught her expression and sat of her hands, looking down, but from the corner of her amber eyes she saw Dylan beaming at the girl.

"Um, have you _looked_ in a mirror? Were you blindfolded when you picked your clothes?" Massie asked, hating herself for dissing such an outfit, but what could she do? She had to put that girl in place, whoever she was. Alicia giggled and they exchanged another high five on her behalf.  
They were the only ones, as Dylan looked away, Kristen tugged on her shark-tooth necklace, and Claire checked out Cam and Olivia over her shoulder.

The girl smiled a smug smile and repositioned her motorcycle jacket. "Actually, yes" she explained as she put away the empty cup in her bag. "I lost a bet with my brother, but I still picked something good. I know what my clothes' fabrics feel like so I had no problem picking out what I wanted, even blindfolded."

The NPC stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Um, are you poor? " Massie asked, and the New Pretty Committee giggled in the upcoming of the comeback. Or at least, they tried too.

"I actually think I _am_ making sense, don't you think? But then again…. " She trailed off, not making any sense this time. Massie's jaw clenched. How did she know how the comeback was going to end? Oh no, she thought as her ears rang. Was she going to faint?

Pissed off, Massie sighed in frustration. "Don't you get it? You can _sit_ here." She snapped, stretching out the "sit" to make it a point. Dylan snickered and then went back to admiring her jean-covered thighs.

"Um, _why???_"The girl asked as she twirled a lock of her in her finger. "Oh, that's pretty" she said to herself about some dress in her magazine, not paying attention to the alpha. Alicia tried to peek at the magazine, but sat back in shame when Massie caught her, letting a curtain of dark hair hide her tanned face.

Massie's thoughts were speeding 100 miles per hour. She could _not_ allow them to like this girl. Now that she thought about it, she didn't know her name. Well, whoever her name was, Massie couldn't care less. But it looked like the girl didn't either.

"Because, this table is just for the Pretty Committee only" Alicia chirped in, imitating Massie's glare, trying to suck up to the Alpha.

The girl looked bored. "So????" she asked, like she didn't care.

Massie gasped.  
She had met her match.

"Did I invite you to my BBQ?" Massie tried, but the girl had a smug smile on her face.

"Just so you know, we are not on a barbeque, and I'm pretty sure I'm not all up on a grill, since I'm sitting on _this_ chair." She pointed to the mahogany chair under her ah-dorable turquoise tutu.

Jaws hung. No one had ever talked to Massie Block that way. Why couldn't she break her? Was her power fading? Was she done? Or worse, now with that girl here, was she _out_?  
What would it take to make this girl leave her (and her Alpha status) alone???

"Well, you better leave, because canNOT sit here." Massie flicked an invisible piece of lint of her nail. "So leave before I _humiliate_ you." She leaned forward and folded her arms, in a position that was meant for business and to intimidate, like her father said.

"And I would care why???" The girl leaned back in her chair and folded her arms too, with mayor amounts of _duh!_ in her voice.

Kristen and Dylan gasped, Alicia's eyes opened wide, and Claire dabbed at her cuticles.

The girl noticed Massie's _do-it-or-i-will-strangle-you-and-then-feed-you-to-lions-to-then-kill-the-lions-and-eat-you-myself _expression and took the hint. She picked up her bag and then shrugged. "Goodbye then. Nice spending lunch with you. I had _fun_" she said smiling brightly, stretching out the word fun like a six year old. She looked at Massie (who was still fuming) and then smiled a genuine smile, and Massie clamed down, but got more confused. She didn't know what _was_ with that girl. She just beat her in her own game, and then she smiled in peace and honesty, like a true friend. "Riley Applebaum, at your service" she winked and then walked away to sit at _the boys table_, with no back-glance or asking, like she did with them.

The New Pretty Committee looked at Massie; fear in their eyes, silently asking themselves what would their alpha do. But Massie ignored them and stared at Riley. She had a good-in-a-weird-way feeling towards her, not knowing why, but she felt as if Riley were a friend, even after being dissed in public. She smiled.

The bell rang, signaling everyone to go to first period. The screech of chairs being pulled back filled the green café, and then everyone started chatting away about how exciting it was to be back. Massie pulled back her chair and the NPC followed her as they quietly left the café, everyone busy with their own thoughts. Suddenly, Massie stopped to a halt, and the girls stopped too, alarmed and surprised that they bumped into their alpha.

"Go on to your classes" she said absentmindedly. "I'll go in a sec; I need to take care of something."

After mumbling goodbyes, the NPC departed, and Massie stood alone in the new green café, except for the rest of students making their way out of the new cafeteria. Massie made her way through the crowd until she found Riley, and then janked her arm towards her. Riley stared at Massie with a smile, not alarmed at all.

"Hey, the NPC and I are going to the mall today after school. Care to join?" she asked, surprising herself at the words she just said. She expected Riley to be surprised too after how she treated her, but she just smiled back. What was with this girl?!

"awesum" she said and then left, glancing back at Massie one more time and smiling the genuine smile, giving Massie an i-think-i-have-met-her-before-and-like-her-but-i-have-no-idea-who-she-is feeling in the pit of her stomach.

It would be an exciting year.


	2. baby class care

Disclaimer: I don't own the clique (I wish I could own their wardrobe though)

Note: you may recognize some sentences form the book, but they are necessary for what's happening, right???

Note #2: this chapter makes a reference to lesbian girls. No offense intended, I actually have a friend who's bio. Lesbians rock!

BOCD

Health class

September 8th, Tuesday

1:35 P.M.

In health class, Claire was in major pain. Not just any pain, like I-hit-my-knee-with-the-desk pain, but heart pain.  
Heart ache.

It was Olivia Ryan's turn to pick a guy name and a baby gender from the bottle their shakirarized teacher name Gina was waving under her nose. The blond airhead reached inside the bottle as Claire just wished she had enough luck for Layne to pick Cam Fisher, the love of her life, and *sigh* current ex-boyfriend. Then she would know that Cam would not fall in love with his project partner (taking care of a simulator baby for the whole semester). If Layne picked him, there wouldn't be any problem, but if _Claire_ picked him, there would be serious heart ache in the way, when there was enough already.

"Yes!" Olivia blurted. "Wassup, my baby daddy?" the unmistakable slap of a high five forced Claire to turn around (which she had been trying hard not to) and almost made her vom.  
Cam and Olivia were palm to palm, gushing like perfect valentines. They strolled to the front of the class and hovered over the playpen, in search of the perfect baby girl.

Thankfully, Layne slapped her arm before she tears rolled down her eyes. "Don't stare" her best friend commanded and Claire nodded, wishing she could obey.  
"Next", Gina waved the bottle in front of Layne, who reached inside.

Claire stood, desperate to get out of there fast and find a bathroom and some waterproof mascara. "I have to get out of here."  
"Not now!" Layne whisper-begged. "Don't you want to find out who I get?"  
Claire wiped her stinging eyes and sat while Layne pulled out a slip of paper.

"Pete Ehrlich?" She looked around the classroom until she spotted the only guy left. His dirty blonde hair parted down the middle, framing his face like soiled motel curtains. Layne pantomimed barfing and then flipped the piece of paper. "T? What does T mean?"  
"Twins." Gina snickered. "Good luck with that."  
"But-" Layne tried to protest, but Gina had already gone to Claire.  
Claire peeked at the bottle and then back at her teacher. "Um, Gina, It's empty."  
"huh?" the teacher's gaze remained fixed on Cam and Olivia, who seemed to absorbed in themselves than to pay attention to the baby they had together, who was wailing loudly.  
"There aren't any names left."  
"I know!" Layne called from the other side of the room, holding two crying babies while Pete struggled with the milk on the bottles. "She can help us. We need it."  
"I rather you join those two in the back." Gina tilted her chin towards Cam and Olivia, who were jamming the crying baby in Olivia's yellow Kate Spade tote. "They need help staying focused. Go be the stepmom."  
"But-"  
"that's not _fair_!" Layne shouted. "We have twins!"  
"Don't you _ever _use the F-word in my class!" Gina snapped. "As I'm concerned, there's no such thing."

Claire was about to beg being a single mother when the door bolted open. There, standing tall and proud was Riley Applebaum, in all her rebel-ballerina glory.

"Hello, sorry I'm late, yes Gina, I'll serve detention tomorrow with such people known as Cam and Olivia, and if it appeases you, I'll serve it the day after that too. Now, where were we? Picking babies? Ah! Well it seems that Claire doesn't have a partner, what about pairing us together? I know that you say 'The Upple Couple' needs helps concentrating, well yeah, I thinks so too, but that really is a bit unfair, _yes_ I know that we are not allowed to use the F-word in this class but it is, now, its an assignment, and they _don't_ need another person to help them raise their grade, if they don't do what's supposed to, they flunk, and its _their_ fault, for not staying focused. Now, you can't say no to me and Claire being a family, because clearly, that's racism, and I'm pretty sure this school –not mentioning this country- is anti-racism, so you can even lose your job if you don't let us pair. Who cares if we are lesbian mothers? Some families are like that, and just so you know, you can't really do anything about it," Riley clapped her hands and rubbed then together to create warmth. "Well! I guess we should go pick our baby girl" she stated and linked arms with Claire (who was mystified), dragging her towards the playpen. Gina just stood there, completely shocked and confused, and was only able to nod absentmindedly as the speech the girl had given really fast without stopping at all, going from one subject to the next.

Claire watched how Riley picked out one robo-baby and checked it out. Her tongue was dry, and she was still trying to assume what had just happened.

When she got her speech back, they were walking towards a pair of desks in a corner, proud lesbian mothers of a baby girl.

"Thanks for saving me… back there" Claire mumbled as they sat down and Riley placed the baby on top of the desk.  
"Don't mind it" she responded, looking straight at her with her bright violet eyes. "I don't think being baby Kate's stepmom is actually everything of what's cracked up to be." She tilted her chin towards the happy couple, who were too busy marveling at how cute their baby looked with her bald head poking out of the bag.

"Hey, I know!" Olivia beamed. "Why don't we call her Kate? After my tote."  
"Hmmmmm." Cam closed his mismatched eyes. "Kate, clean up your room. Kate, time for bed. Kate, turn off the video games," he ordered with a playful smile, and then opened his eyes. "Works for me."

Claire's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know the baby's name? They hadn't even names her yet!"

Riley just smiled, not giving any explanations.  
"Wanna see something cool?" Riley asked and stood up without expecting and answer. She walked over to Olivia, who was swinging her bag back and forth like a wrecking ball, attempting to soothe her crying baby.  
"Here, is this way." Riley picked up the baby and paced back and forth with the baby on her chest, facing her shoulder. Kate stopped crying and Cam and Olivia watched the new girl in awe.  
"How'd you do that?" Olivia asked in a hushed tone.  
"Easy" Riley shrugged. "This way…" she gave Kate back to her mother and placed her in the exact spot where she had her before. "Now just pace back and forth, and that will calm her."

Olivia did as said and once again, the baby resumed her crying.  
"It works! It works!" she marveled, pacing up and down.  
And then baby Kate threw up a cottage cheese-like substance all over Olivia's back to school shirt, tote, and face.

Cam, Riley, Layne, Krista and the headbands, and Claire cracked up as Olivia let up am scream then bolted out the door to the bathroom.

Claire looked over at Riley, amusement and surprised written all over her face.

And saw Riley winked, making Claire know that she had done it all for her.

* * *

Did you like it? Did you love it? Or did you luh-v it?

Review!!!!!

Marla g


	3. The bomb shelter

**Disclaimer: Dont own the clique, duh. lisi is in **

**note: thanks for the reviews! please review more! here goes a new chapter for you guys, N-joy!**

BOCD

The basement, under Principal Burns' office

tuesday, September 8th

3:50 P.M.

It didn't matter that Massie was older and wiser and in the eight grade. The cold, dimly lit metal staircase that led down to BOCD's boiler room freaked her out as much as it had in the seventh grade. And the smell of wet cardboard made her head throb. But, like a true alpha, she smiled through her pain. It also helped that besides the New Pretty Committee, Riley Applebaum was at her side, smiling and skipping down the stairs like if the damp, dark hall didn't freak her out. For one, Massie felt safe with Riley there, she had no idea why. And also, seeing her not scared, it made Massie try harder not to l_ook_ scared too, which helped her to actually not _be_ scared, which only made her appreciate Riley _more_.

"Hurry up," she called the NPC who were clinging to each other, clearly forgotten the rule "stay cool" as they took each step with extreme caution. "What are you so afraid of?"  
"Murderers," Claire chattered.  
"Ghosts," Alicia whispered.  
"BO." Dylan fanned her sweat-drenched pits.  
"Burns." Kristen pointed at the low black ceiling, reminding them that the principal's office was directly above them.  
"What I'm scared of," Riley said as she waited for them at the bottom of the staircase, "is for the soccer boys to come in the bomb shelter right after you guys finish your pledge."

The NPC stared at her, wondering what she meant by that.

Massie turned around towards her friends and waved away their concerns. "Puh-lease. We snuck down here all the time last year."  
"It seems scarier today." Alicia squeezed Claire's arm harder, her dark brown eyes glistening with fear.  
"So do your boots." Dylan burst out laughing.

Everyone cracked up, even Alicia, who looked down at her exposed toes and giggled, as if she just noticed how silly she looked.

"How awesome will it be to have our own secret room on campus?" Massie led them into a door marked CAUTION! DO NOT ENTER. "No boys, no LBRs, no teachers. Just us. Just the New Pretty Committee!" she shouted, knowing that with the hallway's subterranean placement they wouldn't be heard. "To the NPC!" Massie lifted her arm and shook the shiny bracelet on her wrist.  
"To the NPC!" they echoed back.

Then Massie noticed something. "Hey Riley, why didn't you cheer with us?" she asked, searching the girl's violet eyes.

Riley eyes widened in amusement. "I'm not part of the NPC, remember?" she told her, tugging on a gorgeous lock of chestnut-red hair.

Massie smiled. "Says who?"

"What???!!!" the NPC stared at Massie, excitement in their eyes as they all liked Riley, especially Claire, after saving her in health class and making her laugh in a long time.

"Yup. Riley, do you want to be in the NPC with us?" she asked, not knowing why she was asking in the first place. Just inviting Riley to the bomb shelter (after changing their after-school mall plans) was enough to know that she was in. What had she thought?

"Sure. Awesome." Riley smiled and lifted her arm, shaking an invisible charm bracelet. "To the NPC!" she mocked the girls, her velvety voice echoing in the basement. The girls laughed and then repeated the process, with real charm bracelets.

Fired up with renewed excitement, they fearlessly raced towards the door at the end of the hall, and went down the second flight of stairs towards the school's bomb shelter. Correction: their bombs helter, as handed down to them by Skye Hamilton, last year's eighth grade alpha, and the one in the school's Alpha history for years.

"We're here" Massie trilled, searching her platinum and black Be & D bag for the key as the girls surrounded her, practically bouncing on their feet. Claire on her left, and Riley on her right, and Kristen, Dylan, and Alicia beside them, Massie felt ready for eighth grade domination.

"Do you think the racks of clothes will still be here?" Kristen asked, rubbing her hands for warmth. "And what about the Starbucks machine Skye left for us?"

"And her Hard Candy makeup? She had the whole collection in a huge vanity in there" Alicia added for Riley's expense, who smiled in return.

"Get me to that buttered-popcorn maker." Dylan licked her lips.

"Buttered-popcorn maker? Oh yeah!" Riley said and she and Dylan high-fived, thinking of the popcorn.

Everyone glared at them with various expressions of mock doubt.

"What? Is low-fat."

"Low fat? Never mind" Riley left Dylan's side, a fake pout on her face.

"Um, buttered popcorn is to low-fat as Kristen shark-tooth necklace is to valuable," Alicia said.  
"Is to Alicia's boots are cool," responded Kristen.  
"Is to Claire is happy," Dylan joked.  
"Is to Dylan's straight hair is natural," Claire managed.  
Everyone cracked up and Riley said "It may be fake, but it looks the part."  
"Thanks" Dylan beamed.

Massie stuck her key into the black key hole of the black door.

Then she turned the key. The door clicked open.

"We're in!" she announced

The stale odor of sweat mixed with duct tape flooded their nostrils.

"Ew! What is that?" Alicia pinched her perfect ski-slope nose.  
"The stale odor of sweat mixed with duck tape" Riley chirped, smiling like a happy six year old.  
"Thank you, Captain Obvious." Alicia punched Riley's leather-covered arms lightly and Riley bumped her shoulder into hers. They laughed.

"Did we forget to clean out the coffee machine before the summer?" Kristen twirled on her braids, looking around. "What happened in here?" she whimpered as the girls stood in the doorway looking at the dark room.

"Well, there is a row of lockers, a Poland Spring water dispenser, a bunch of sports magazines, aluminum benches, and a white board in here," Riley told them and the girls turned to stare at her. Massie kicked the floor switch and the lights popped on, revealing Riley's exact words, and their disco ball covered in five socks.

They stared at Riley again, wondering how she knew what was inside without even knowing there _was_ a secret room in the school in the first place.

"I told you" Riley said as she walked into the room and plopped down in one of the aluminum benches she had foreseen.

"What is this?" Dylan looked around, not believing the change.

Everyone's eyes were on the alpha, waiting for her to fix things, but for once, she had no idea how. They took away her bomb shelter, they only thing left she had.

Feeling a little faint, she walked into the room and sat beside Riley, who was holding a Luna bar. "Here" the girl offered and Massie took it, thanking Riley with her eyes. Riley smiled as she bit it and got some energy back. The NPC followed inside the room.

"We should complain." Dylan sat beside Massie, looking longingly at the place where the popcorn maker used to be.  
"To who?" Kristen plunked down beside Dylan. "We are not supposed to be in here, remember?"  
"I bet my dad could find a way to sue." Alicia shuffled behind Massie and began massaging the alpha's narrow shoulders.

Claire lingered by the water dispenser, her eyes on the white board.

Unable to offer a decent solution, Massie felt stripped of her power. Like Jessica Simpson with dark hair. Harry Potter without the bolt-shaped scar. Edward without his dazzling smile. Her only idea was switching schools, but her friends needed her. How could she be a leader if she bailed?

When she touched her Swarovski crystal-covered crown on her bracelet, Massie's alpha battery re-charged. She was back, ready to take charge.

"I guess Skye took her stuff back." Massie stood up and paced around the sausage-shaped room. "Which is fine with me. The clothes would be last seasons by now and Starbucks is so seventh grade. I proposed a Pinkberry fro-yo dispenser."  
"I heart that!" Alicia air-clapped excited then raced (Alicia-speed) towards Massie. "That store is in _US Weekly _more than Lindsay."  
"You now what we should get?" Dylan joined her, popping a cherry-flavored lollipop in her mouth. "A hair salon station. We can get a big mirror and a chair with a foot pump, and Jakkob can stop by twice a week for blowouts and straightening sessions."  
"I want a Puma sneaker vending machine," Kristen added, standing up from the bench.  
"That takes gum wrappers instead of money!" Claire and Riley chimed in and then they said "Apple C!" while cracking up.

Something in the back of Massie's mind wondered how Riley even knew about Apple C. They met that morning! But she decided to wonder later as she jotted down the girls' suggestions on her iPhone. "I'll get Inez in here tomorrow morning to disinfect." She eyed the yellowing socks in the disco ball.  
"Joyce will help," offered Alicia. "She's free on Wednesdays, so she's available. She'd love it."  
"Really? You think" Kristen asking in disbelief.  
"Given. Why else would she pick _cleaning_ as her career? Because she _hates_ it?"  
"Awesummm." Massie beamed. "Larry and Brody from RL Home will be here tomorrow by lunchtime to measure the room."  
"Yayyyy" they cheered.  
Even Claire.  
Minus Riley, who just smiled in amusement at the NPC.  
"Now, who's ready to pledge?" Twirling her purple streak, Massie stepped up on a bench and held out her wrist, shaking her bracelet.  
Alicia and Claire stepped beside her while Dylan and Kristen took the opposite bench.  
"Everyone please join wrists." Massie held out her arms and then noticed Riley looking up at them, her violet eyes glistening. "Riley. Hop on."  
"I don't have a bracelet." She bounced in the bench next to Kristen and raised her arm, shaking it to prove the point.  
"Well, we'll get you one by next week, and an R charm for you, girls," she addressed the NPC, who's eyes twinkling in happiness. "Just pretend for now."  
Giggles broke out as a braceletless wrist joined wrist huddle.  
"Now close your eyes and repeat after me."  
"And repeat after me," Dylan burped.  
"Nniiiicceee" Riley laughed along with the girls.

Once they stopped, the NPC plus their newest member pledged their alliance to the group repeating after Massie.

"You may open your eyes," Massie purred when they where done, with post-yoga calmness.  
Alicia jumped off the bench and the girls relaxed their wrist-grips.  
"We are nawt finished yet," snapped Massie.  
"Oops, sorry." Alicia stepped up again. "Go awn."  
Massie held out her charm bracelet, so everyone could see it glistening in the dim light.  
"Fail the fast and fail the group. Fail the group and lose the bracelet. Lose the bracelet and lose your membership to the NPC."  
"Ex-ka-use-me?" Riley raised her hand and Massie smiled at that morning's memory. "You guys are on a Boyfast?"  
"Yup." Dylan sucked on her lollipop. "Some boy business last year. Long story short. We acted like fools to impress them because we watched a secret camera on their ESP class on this TV that was on this room who was in the last year's Alphas hands –we used to sneak in after they left using a bobby pin-and we thought we knew what they thought,-FYI, two boys liked me at the same time. Awesomeness!- but we were wrong, so they dumped us at Skye Hamilton's -_the_ eight grade Alpha- couples party -I was Demi Moore, and my dates were Bruce Willis and Ashton Kutcher-, so now we can't like boys."  
Riley blinked. "That was the longest short story I ever heard in my life."  
Dylan cracked up, but Alicia gasped.  
"Does that mean we can't even talk to a boy?" Alicia sounded more afraid than curious as Claire bit her thumbnail and Kristen squeezed the shark-tooth necklace around her neck. Claire caught Riley's eyes, which looked at her knowingly.  
Claire looked away.  
"Put it this way. Treat the boys like brothers. You're allowed to ask for help, favors, and money, but no flirting, texting, crushing, or dressing to impress. Done?"  
"Done!" Dylan bellowed as Riley said "I guess. Cool."  
They were the only ones.  
"Done?" Massie's eyes shoot lasers beams out of them.  
"Done," everyone replied.  
"Good. Now to start off, I seriously think this room needs-"

Massie was interrupted by thumps on the floor and the click of the door. They dropped their arms and jumped off the benches.  
"You were right Mass," Kristen muttered. "We are done."  
The NPC got closer together, a bit scared of who was turning the door handle.  
"Say hello to the soccer team" Riley muttered as they door opened up.

**did you like that? I know you did. Review plis!**


End file.
